If you are looking to get a nice family-friendly cat that thrives in a social and interactive environment, Siamese cats are probably your best bet.
These are playful, highly energetic, vocal, affectionate cat breeds that are forerunners in every potential cat parent’s mind if they are looking for a companion cat.
You can understand a Siamese cat as this bundle of energy that constantly needs active environment to interact and get involved into.
For this reason, these form ideal family cats as they are known to gel well and get along with other cats, dogs and even kids.
As incredible as it is to have a character like a Siamese cat in the house, it is also important to understand that Siamese cats also have some needs and demands that need to be addressed consciously in order for them to develop as finely adjusted pets.
As I was going through my mail where I constantly receive queries from pet parents, I cam across an interesting one concerning Siamese cats which is are Siamese cats skittish?
For people who may be unaware of what the word means, a pet is considered skittish if he or she gets easily anxious, excited, scared or nervous.
So, what I am going to do with this post is touch certain subtle behavioral problems that Siamese cats are prone to, what are the causes and what steps you can do to ensure she develops as a well-adjusted pet.
So, let me just quickly address the main query that I encountered and from there onwards we will move into understanding a Siamese cat’s personality and why do Siamese cats tend to get skittish.
Alright, so are Siamese cats skittish?
Siamese cats are not inherently skittish, but what is true is the fact that these are energetic, playful and inquisitive cat breeds who need constant involvement, attention and active playtime for their proper development in domesticated environments. Lack of these interactive activities can render them to get skittish or develop negative behavior patterns like biting, aggression and boredom.
So, there you go, if you are looking to get a Siamese cat, in addition to the loving queen like demeanour and affection they come with, they also bring forth a personality that require your active involvement and conscious responsibility.
Good info isn’t it?
But wait, don’t rush away just yet.
There is so much more I wish to share with you regarding Siamese cats, their behavior and acts that you do or don’t do because of which Siamese cats may develop unwanted behavior patterns.
So, if you are a Siamese cat fan like me, read the post till the end and I am pretty sure you are going to gain some insights that are going to serve you well.
These posts will help you relax and won’t make you skittish.
- Why Are Siamese Cats So Vocal?
- Are Siamese Cats Climbers?
- Why Are Siamese Cats So Clingy?
- Pros And Cons Of Getting two Kittens.
- Do Siamese Cats Like To Cuddle?
Siamese Cats – Personality, Behavior & Traits
So, let us understand what Siamese cats are really like.
This is very important because once you understand the whole package that is a Siamese cat you will know what to expect when you get one.
And people who already own a Siamese cat can confirm what I share here and mention a word of approval down in the comments section.
Siamese cats are inherently playful, energetic, inquisitive, affectionate, sociable and not to mention chatty cat breeds.
Have no doubt if you have a Siamese cat in your home, she would always want to be in the center of action.
If you for some reason do the royal mistake of ignoring her, as Egyptian Gods are my witness, your Siamese cat will make it a point to nag you about it with her distinct low-pitched voice.
You just can’t ignore her. As much as she craves attention, she also knows how to carry herself with a queen like demeanour, and will act aloof when she has gotten everything that she needs.
Talking about needs, Siamese cats are known to be high-maintenance cats.
Of course, not as much as some other cat breeds like Persian about whom you can read everything here.
So, what is it that Siamese cats really demand?
Truth be told not much, but what they need they most definitely need, lack thereof can actually render them develop undesirable behavioral attributes like anxiety, boredom, and aggression.
Siamese cats are high energy cat breeds that thrive on highly social, active and playful environment.
Their whole chemistry in a way pushes them to involve, interact, inquire, engage and be playful.
Any one who wishes to own them need to match they demand with appropriate supply.
In order to do that you need to create an ecosystem where Siamese cats find sufficient playtime, active human involvement, toys, scratchers, perches placed at strategic locations.
Because Siamese cats are so good with other cats, dogs, pets and kids, a family environment that provides a company of some or all of these members is just heaven for them.
One very important quality that needs special mention is their talkative nature.
In fact, because this quality is big a point of discussion among all Siamese cat owners, I dedicated a separate post to it titled, why are Siamese cats so vocal which you can enjoy reading by clicking here.
But yeah, Siamese cats are talkative breeds. They will tell you when they need something, when they want you to pet them, they will join you on the door when you return home and will ask you how your day was.
They will be the ones who will sit near windows and chatter at birds and sometimes they will talk for no reason at all.
So yeah, if you are looking for a companion cat with whom you can talk to, Siamese cats are the ones you need to get.
They are all in for snuggles, cuddles, sleeping next to you, sitting on your laps and laptops, providing opinions on different vegetables you just brought home while sitting comfortably on countertops.
Because their personality is smacked with intelligence, they will need an active environment that helps them use it.
For this reason, these cats absolutely love puzzle toys and if done rightly you can even train them to learn tricks.
Many experienced Siamese cat owners recommend that you should try and get Siamese cats in pairs.
This is actually a very valid point if you keep a Siamese cat’s energy levels and personality in mind.
If you do adopt them in pairs or get a sibling for your Siamese cat, the great thing that is going to happen is, most of her activity needs are going to take care of itself.
They will play with each other, engage with each other, expend their energy by chasing each other and when they tire you will find them closely snuggled into each other’s warmth.
They will give you copious amounts of memories you will cherish and the best part is you won’t have to take up the duty of attending to all these needs by your own.
Because the majority of the engagement acts will be taken care of, all you need to do is take some time out for one-on-one interaction, active playtime and you are basically done.
Why Do Siamese Cats Get Skittish?
Now that you know what Siamese cats are really like, you can kind of like perceive what changes you need to make in your domestic ecosystem so in order for them to evolve properly.
Now everything actually is as simple as this, cats are simple beings with simple needs.
If you keep the personality traits of a Siamese cat in mind, and create an appropriately conducive domesticated environment around them, the chances of them developing bad and undesirable behaviors is greatly reduced.
That’s it. That’s all you need to know. You can leave now :P.
I am just kidding, so many knowledgeable insights awaiting you down below.
But that is the gist of it to be honest.
Now let’s go ahead and objectively look at the different reasons why Siamese cats get skittish.
They Are Getting Accustomed To The New Environment
Have you just adopted your Siamese cat?
Hey, then just relax.
Pets need sometime to explore and get used to their new forever home.
You just need to give them some space and time to explore around and make themselves comfortable.
A little hesitation in their way of being is going to be more profound if you are getting an adult cat.
For kittens you should not face the same problem especially if you have adopted them in pairs.
They will always have a sibling to resort to if they feel a little uncomfortable and eventually both of them will start exploring together.
One thing that you need to do is ensure that you don’t generate sudden scares around them during their orientation period.
Remove any and all factors from the home that can be a cause of potential scares.
These are some things that can definitely result in them developing skittishness.
If you do find them at some point feeling scared, just sit close to them and give them a comforting pet to assure them they are alright and safe.
Similarly, if you are moving to a new home, allow your cats some time to claim and be comfortable in their territory.
During this period, don’t force them to do anything they aren’t comfortable doing.
Nothing will make a cat develop undesirable behavior patterns faster then when you create an environment of insecurity around her.
Lack Of Attention
Have no doubts about it. Siamese cats CRAVE ATTENTION.
They are known to choose their favorite human and will make it a point to express it in different ways, mostly vocally, that they are missing your loving presence.
If they aren’t getting as much attention as they need, it can make them feel anxious, insecure and skittish.
As already explained, in order for a Siamese cat to evolve properly, she needs an environment of interaction and engagement.
In my previous post on why are Siamese cats so vocal, I explained that one of the reasons Siamese cats may turn to meowing persistently and loudly is because they aren’t getting the attention they need.
Because Siamese cats are an intelligent cat breeds, they quickly learn what they need to do in order to get what they want.
If they don’t get the attention they need, chances are they may resort to negative behaviors like meowing too loudly in order to harness your attention.
Lack of an appropriate amount of attention in the form of acknowledgements, pets, snuggles and cuddles can lead your Siamese to get anxious and skittish.
Lack Of Active Playtime
Siamese cats love jumping around and playing with their favorite toys.
Their love for toys and physical engagement stems from the fact that their bodies are muscular and full of energy.
Couple their acrobatic energetic build with an active mind and you get a bubbly combination that wants to express itself.
For this reason, they need a playtime routine where they can almost aggressively express their energy using their squeaky toys and puzzles.
If you don’t establish an active routine where they can playfully express their energy, they can very well develop negative behavior patterns like boredom, biting and anxiety.
Therefore, if you choose to get a Siamese cat, create an ecosystem where she can move around, jump around (using perches and shelves strategically, I will create a post for this), chase, hide, find vantage points in high places, groom and stretch.
She would also want you to play with her, possibly develop a routine if you can or at least acknowledge her presence when she comes to you for love and attention.
As I said, the needs of a Siamese cats are simple, its just that these needs can’t be ignored under any costs.
If you take care of your Siamese cat in these simple yet significant ways, you will find that they will evolve as finely adjusted pets without any skittishness or negative behavior patterns
They Need Something
Most of the Siamese cat owners that I know hold the opinion that Siamese cats are smart and cunning cat breeds.
They are so quick to learn exactly what they need to do in order to get what they want.
Have you ever on social media seen someone commenting that training your cat is a folly, what is true is the fact that your cats train you.
Well, I don’t know about other cat breeds, but Siamese cats can definitely do that to you if you don’t respond to them consciously.
For example, if you are too busy watching TV and your cat comes around for a pet and you ignore her.
She will now meow loudly to get your attention, if you acknowledge her presence only when she meows loudly, guess what, she now knows in order to get your attention she needs to meow at the top of her voice.
She can use similar tactics to get other things like food and treats using negative behavior traits if you aren’t aware of how you are interacting with her.
Simple ways in which you can prevent your Siamese from developing skittish behavior is by rewarding her relaxed state and calmly observing her when she reacts in negative ways.
For example, giving her a comforting pet when she is in a relaxed state will send signals to her mind that she doesn’t need to get anxious or excited to get attention.
Never do the mistake of punishing her when you see her do something that you don’t want her to do.
This is a sure way to ingrain skittishness permanently into her psyche.
Instead, don’t react when she reacts in a negative way and reward her relaxed states of being with her favorite treat.
You see its all about that loving conscious responsibility.
Bad Experiences Of The Past
This is very common reason of skittishness among adult cats.
If you are picking her up at an age where she isn’t a kitten anymore, and if she gets jumpy or scared even if you approach her gently chances are, she has had bad experiences in the past that are etched into her psyche.
If you get a cat like that, I want to let you know that you are very lucky.
You have a chance to remould a cat’s existence with love.
I am pretty sure; you must have seen at least one video on Dodo where an animal that hasn’t had a very good past got transformed due to the new love she discovered out of her new owner.
So, bad experiences of the past can definitely aid in your Siamese cat being skittish and anxious.
All that is happening is her bubbly energy is finding negative behavioral expression.
All you really need to do in this case is have some patience, give her some time to be comfortable around you and shower as much love as you can for her.
Unconscious Treatment
One of the biggest reasons why a Siamese cat develops an aggressive or skittish outlook is because of us.
Yup.
Look at it this way, your pet will always exude and reflect the kind of energy you create around him or her.
See, once again you have to understand that cats or animals in general are simple beings.
They just want to live the way they are supposed to live inherently.
As long as their survival and little needs are taken care of, they will evolve and develop properly.
So, let’s say if you have a dog, and your general nature around him is that of being insecure, have no doubt this can become a very good reason why he is aggressive towards other people.
See when you start taking care of an animal, what actually happens is and this is backed by scientific observation that they start seeing you their own extension.
If the general aura around you is that of insecurity and anxiety, your pets catch up on it and may develop an insecure and consequently an aggressive outlook.
And similarly, if you don’t consciously acknowledge the presence of your Siamese if and when she wants it, she may develop an anxious or even obsessive behavior within herself.
But Shubham, I have a life of my own and I cannot always attend to your pet.
My love, she isn’t asking you to marry her, truth be told a Siamese cat will be a better partner than what you find nowadays. 😛
All she is saying is I am here, I understand you take care of me, that means you are my family, all I need is your acknowledgement and some basic needs.
That’s it.
Keep it real simple.
Respond to her when she wants it, pet her when she is relaxed, ensure that her food and litter is taken care of, don’t force things she doesn’t want to do and reward her calm behavior and you have an incredible companion.
FAQs
Alright, I think I have comprehensive answered your main query which is are Siamese cats skittish and why do Siamese cats get skittish if they do.
I understand that you have a desire to understand a Siamese cat’ behavior at the core because of which you are browsing through this post on are Siamese cats skittish.
I think I have answers to a few more questions that you didn’t know you had.
Read On 😊
Why Do Siamese Cats Bite So Much?
Siamese cats are an active, energetic cat breed that love action and involvement. If they aren’t nipping you playfully, chances are they have a reservoir of pent-up energy that isn’t finding expression. Try and tire her out by playing with her in ways she enjoys. If her energy finds an active expression in forms of play, involvement and engagement I am sure she will forget about biting you because she will be on her tummy too tired to involve in trivial matters like humans.
Oh, the sass!
Do Siamese Cats Get Jealous?
Yes, Siamese due to their deep need for attention are known for getting jealous. If their need for attention isn’t met or if they are being ignored on a regular basis, they are known to develop negative behavior patterns like aggression, jealousy and even biting. Siamese cats are excellent pets just ensure to give them the attention they need.
Again, providing them the necessary attention doesn’t need to be a big task. A simple pet on the back. A treat when she is relaxed and calm. And making it a habit to routinely play and engage with her goes a long way.
Do Siamese Cats Need Companions?
Owing to their need of wanting to involve, engage and be social they definitely evolve as finely adjusted pet in the presence of a companion. Because Siamese cats get along really well with other cars and even dogs, you can opt for an appropriate companion depending on her personality.
If for some reason you can’t, ensure that you play, involve and engage with your cat on a regular basis and be the active playful companion she needs to develop properly and wholesomely.
Okay my peeps, with that we are at the end of this post.
If you have any other queries about Siamese cats or anything you might have read on the blog let me know in the comments section or by sending me a mail.
Do not just go off now. I want to get to know you better.
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Take great care of yourselves and your Siamese baby and I will see you in the next one.
Toodles!